Stunning classic car built in Bexhill goes on show on its 60th birthday

The 60th birthday of one of Bexhill Museum’s star exhibits is being marked on Saturday August 4 with a special celebration.

The Egerton Road museum’s Elva Mark III sports-racing car was built in Bexhill in 1958.

Elva was the brainchild of Bexhillian Frank Nichols. From tiny premises in London Road the firm eventually expanded into a purpose-built factory in Hastings.

Through a succession of innovative designs the Elva marque built up a reputation both in the UK and in the USA in the Fifties and Sixties. Today, surviving Elvas are sought-after collectors’ items.

The museum’s sports racer graced the new motor heritage gallery when it opened in 2009. It was restored to its former glory with period-correct Coventry Climax engine and lightweight aluminium body by Hastings Sheet Metal Works, which made the originals, by a volunteer team of former Elva employees.

It stands alongside a reproduction of the Serpollet steam car which won the 1902 Bexhill Motor Trials, the first international motorsport event held in Britain, and the Delta electric car built by pupils of St Richard’s Catholic College which holds a class world land speed record.

Bexhill 100 Motoring Club will be supporting the event with a display of members’ classic cars in Egerton Park behind the museum which will include Paul Brailsford’s personal Elva Courier.

The voluntarily-run independent museum will be open from 11am, including entry from Egerton Park.